After decades of public service in Faribault, Gary Carver chose to pass along a $10,000 vacation prize rather than take the trip himself. He gave it to longtime friend Nick Dell because, as he put it, his body would not let him travel.
Carver won the grand prize in Adams MultiMedia's 250 Years of Freedom sweepstakes, according to Southernminn.com. The prize offered a choice of a seven-night Hawaii trip, a seven-night trip to St. Lucia or a seven-night cruise. Carver and his wife, Judy, chose Hawaii.
The report says Carver has cancer and diabetes, conditions that made travel effectively impossible for him. He offered the Hawaii trip to Dell, a painter and fellow Faribault native who had known the couple for years, rather than leave the prize unused.
A Lifetime in Faribault, A Trip Passed On
The report describes Carver as a lifelong Faribault resident: he has lived there for 73 years and spent about 40 years working in the city's public works department. That history gives a local dimension to his decision to share the prize.
Carver said he did not want the gesture to invite sympathy. “I absolutely want no one to feel sorry for me,” he said, describing it as paying the prize forward to a friend.
Dell plans to spend his time in the islands at the beach, eating local food and enjoying the scenery, according to the report.
A Plaque to Mark the Handoff
The report says Tim Zyla presented Dell with a plaque Monday, marking the handoff of the $10,000 grand-prize trip.
What to Know About Prize Taxes
The Internal Revenue Service offers an online interview to help recipients assess whether a prize or award is taxable. That resource does not determine Carver’s individual tax treatment or establish whether transferring a vacation prize changes the winner’s tax obligations.
Carver's gift means the vacation he could not take will instead be used by a longtime friend.
